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If you’ve committed to the idea of designing your own curtains, don’t limit your design options to those you can create with one fabric. Incorporating two or more fabrics into your design adds dimension and visual interes. It’s also a good option when you want to use a certain fabric that would not be appropriate as full-size curtain panels, perhaps because the pattern or color would be overwhelming, or the fabric is too expensive. Although in some applications, the multiple fabrics used for your design need to be similar in weight, remember that you can incorporate fabrics that differ in texture as well as appearance. A band of velvet could be used with smooth linen panels, for example, and embroidered cotton borders can provide a pretty accent to plain cotton panels.

Pieced Curtain Panels

A simple way to use multiple fabrics in a curtain design is with color blocking -- seaming smaller panels of two or more fabrics to make larger panels, from which you sew your curtains. It is an easy to render form of patchwork, which can be as basic as two rectangles of different solid-color cottons seamed together horizontally or vertically. You could apply a narrow border of one fabric to any of the four edges of a panel of another fabric, or make the upper half of the curtain from one fabric and the lower half from another. Seam more than two shapes of different fabrics together and you can create stripes or more complex designs. These kinds of curtains need to be lined because otherwise the seams at the back would look unattractive.

Layered Curtains

Layered curtains, with curtain panels of one fabric peeking out to some extent from behind panels of another fabric, can be achieved in several ways. You can sew individual sets of curtains from the two different fabrics, then mount them with one in front of the other. This is possible with a special double curtain rod, clip rings or pole and ring sets and alternate the curtain panels attached to each consecutive ring. Because the two sets of curtains are separate, you can change them as often as you wish. Sheers with opaque curtains, lace panels with solids, and wider curtains that draw all the way closed with narrow accent curtains are some of the possible combinations. Another way to make layered curtains is to seam panels of the two fabrics together at the heading, but leave them un-sewn at the side edges and bottom hem.

Reversible Curtains

For more versatility adapt standard curtain-making techniques to line panels all the way to the edges with an alternative fabric to make them fully reversible. When you get bored of one fabric, just remove the panels, flip them around and mount them with the other side showing. Clip rings, grommets and tab top styles are ideal for this kind of reversible curtain. Fabrics of a similar weight or with a lining between them are appropriate to prevent the color or pattern from showing through when the panels are backlit by the window.

Ruffled Curtains

Ruffled curtains are a nice option for a girl’s room or any room that could use a romantic touch. They look difficult to make but are achievable for anyone with basic sewing skills. Gathered strips of fabric, cut to a depth of your choice, are sewn to a plain curtain panel, starting at the top and working your way to the middle or top, so that the ruffle above conceals the seam of the ruffle below. If each successive ruffle is sewn from a slightly darker or lighter shade of the same color as the adjacent ruffle, you can create an attractive ombre effect. For a child’s room, a rainbow design is a colorful option. Bear in mind that all the ruffles add considerable weight to these curtains, so sturdy hardware is a must.

Accents

A small amount of fabric that complements your curtain fabric can go a long way in enlivening a design. You could applique a decorative trim to the inside edges or lower hems of curtain panels; make tiebacks from a patterned fabric to use with plain curtains; or sew tab tops from a different fabric. More elaborate accents to curtains that can be made using a different fabric include cornices, which are upholstered boxes that cover curtain tops; valances, shorter curtains, pleated or smooth, that are mounted over curtain tops; and swags, separate fabric pieces draped along the top of the window and down each side.

About the Author

A writer of diverse interests, Joanne Thomas has penned pieces about road trips for Hyundai, children's craft projects for Disney and wine cocktails for Robert Mondavi. She has lived on three continents and currently resides in Los Angeles, where she is co-owner and editor of a weekly newspaper. Thomas holds a BSc in politics from the University of Bristol, England.